Elastic-Fantastic

In the centre of NZ's North Island, the Great Lake Taupo region is at the heart of it all.

Bungy jumperBy Taupo Bungy

Last week was all Hallows eve, a time of fright and well, toilet papering your neighbours (it wasn’t me…) so in order to get with the scary, frightful theme, I thought I would…well…. Bungy jump.

Let us understand, dear reader, I am not a bungy jumper. When I worked in Greece as a young blithe thing, all the cool girls worked at the Bungy Jump. I thought I could be a cool girl too so I tried it out. The first few jumps went ok, then I tried to graduate to the highest one. Big Mistake. There I was- in uniform, a crowd chanting gleefully for my very demise below, when… shock horror... my nerves left me, my legs began an inadvertent wobble and I had to be lowered to the beach in full bungy uniform to the boos and hisses of the ample crowd that had gathered.

So you can imagine that years of therapy later, my need to bungy jump was still minimal. But needs must, I am a mother now, I birthed a baby… I can do this. Right?

Turns out I could and you can too. There is nothing like facing your fears and despite some shameful blubbering, I really did bounce off a cliff on the end of a rubber band, albeit a sophisticated rubber band.

Taupo bungy is beautiful, it sits on a cliff hung with years-old trees and vines and overlooks the exceptional Waikato river- the longest river in New Zealand, fed from the very slopes of our beloved Mount Ruapehu via the Tongariro River.

You’ll be weighed and then organised as either a solo jumper (just you!) or a tandem jumper (you and a friend), however you choose to go, it’s high- 47 metres to be precise and you can choose a water touch or not. There is nothing quite so exhilarating as a fresh dip in the Waikato whilst dangling off an ample precipice.

You stand a top the platform, toes just slightly over the edge, the rope hangs heavily from you and you feel the tug of gravity, you tip your body and whoosh, your in freefall for just a second or two before PING! You bounce upside, down-ways, boing from right to left and let out the biggest whoop of joy!

It’s scenic, exhilarating, thrilling and totally achievable so if you are looking to challenge your inner wimp bungy jumping is for you.

Taupo bungy is the North Island’s most popular jump and features the world's first cantilever platform and New Zealand's first 'splash cam'.

Don’t delay, get in today and scare yourself pant-less. (metaphorically of course- if in doubt- wear extra pants…)